She drags her hand across my ass when she passes by, and I grab her hand to bring her back and kiss her.
“Enjoy your alone time now.”
She swallows. “Sounds like a warning.”
My mouth curves. “Promise. I can’t wait to fill every inch of you with cum later to celebrate.”
“What are we celebrating?”
“Festival day.”
She squints at me. “What is it with you two and this festival?”
“You’ll see. And then tomorrow… Tomorrow, you get to decide, birthday girl.”
“I shouldn’t have told you that.”
A chuckle leaves me. “I can’t wait to tell Nick.”
“Oh god.” She steps away from me with a laugh. “I can’t with you two. I’m just… I’m going to shower.”
I smirk after her, trying not to let the fact that a goddamn troll is outside tapping my magic with his fucking bat. The ground shakes, and I look out to find it suddenly beating on the concrete with its club as if it thinks it can break down my magic by digging beneath it.
“Think of us,” I call after her.
My entire body stiffens as I watch her continue the rest of the way to the closet, grab a towel, then go into the bathroom. I wait for the lock to click, for the shower to turn on, and as soon as I’m sure she’s tucked in, I curse under my breath.
My jaw is taut as I grab my coffee and Blazes, then head out of the front door.Fucking… I’m annoyed. I should be inside helping her wash that pretty cunt. Instead, I’m outside in my underwear and a Santa apron having to deal with this load of shit.
At least trolls are short work. Messy short work, but relatively easy to deal with nonetheless.
It notices me as soon as I walk out. A scream and shout leaves it—hot air shattering some of the icicles above.
Goddammit.
I worked really hard on those.
I hear Pack barking down the street. One glance in her direction, and I find Blaze standing on the pavement, his hands in his pockets. Even from this distance, I can see the scowl on his face, feel the rage in the static-y air.
I don’t bother going into the yard. I stand at the edge of her screened-in porch, freeze our coffees and put them in my pockets, and move my hands in front of me, pulling moisture from the air. The troll hits the ground erratically, back and forth, cracking the sidewalk foot by foot. He shifts each time I try to aim the daggers at him from the trees. It makes me huff, makes my temper spike.
From the corner of my eye, I see Blaze crouch down and press his hand to the asphalt.
A glow emits around his hand. Smoke lifts off the ground as the heat travels directly for the creature. A straight line and painful promise I haven’t seen in…
Centuries.
I prepare my stakes.
Icicles, sharper than knives. They encircle the beast, poised above it and ready for Blaze to trap him in one spot. As I hold them, I walk outside into the yard. The vapor reaches the troll. It flinches and jumps, blowing off its feet one by one and trying to escape. But Blaze surrounds him.
Feet trample against the asphalt.
I look sideways and find Pack bolting toward me, collar off. Blaze’s magic slips, and I nearly lose control as the pup launches into the air at the troll. The troll swats, but Pack is fast enough to dodge it. She locks her mouth down on its arm, biting and ripping at the creature’s flesh.
“Now!” Blaze shouts, running at us.
Shit.
